Art By Danial Carrol
These strange creatures violate most laws of physics. They existing in a parallel dimension of darkness and possess the ability to briefly manifest in our reality through interdimensional weak points created by sinister magic. They serve the Great Old One Nyogtha, Thing That Should Not Be. Powerful wizards who serve Nyogtha are sometimes taught the ritual needed to open a doorway for a Parcel of Darkness. These creatures then lurk near these weak points, waiting to ambush and attack anyone not directly under the protection of Nyogtha.
A Parcel of Darkness is composed of two very different sections. Its main body is an immense mass of living darkness, appearing so black that it can even be seen by humans in complete darkness. Any matter which comes within contact with this mass of darkness is unmade, simply ceasing to exist, gone forever. The majority of this body remains anchored in its home
dimension, with only a small portion manifesting in our reality. Such manifestation is limited to within 500 yards of the interdimensional weak point created while summoning it. When manifesting into its range all light sources are dimmed by 80% of their effectiveness.
The other part of this creature’s body is a collection of six long grasping tentacles. Each is twenty foot long, average a thickness of about a foot and taper to about four inches across at their tips. These tentacles are cold, rough, and covered with tiny backwards pointing spines. While the creature has no obvious sensory organs it easily detects all details within the 500 yard radius where it manifests. Even invisible and completely silent creatures would be detected.
Parcels of Darkness attack by grasping victims with its tentacles and pulling them into their main body. Once a victim comes in contact with the living darkness of the creature’s main body they are completely erased from existence. Parcels of Darkness may attack up to six different targets at once, or attack fewer targets with multiple tentacles. The distance from the creature’s main body a target is grasped determines how long it takes for them to be pulled in and unmade. Within 10 feet, victims have one round to react; within 11-15 feet, they have two combat rounds, and from 16-20 feet they have three combat rounds.
Victims must make an opposed STR roll vs. the creature to avoid being pulled into the creature’s body. For every person who is not also grasped by a tentacle helping pull the victim back from the creature’s body, victims receive a +1 bonus dice to this opposed roll. However, if victims are grasped by 2 or more tentacles, the creature receives a +1 bonus dice to this opposed roll. Unlike normal opposed rolls, in this contest ties indicate a stalemate with no progress on either side.
Parcels of Darkness are not overly intelligent. The creatures never clubs or whips anything with their powerful tentacles, nor do they hurl victims or objects, or use tools or weapons. Their single basic hunting tactic is to grab prey items and pull them into itself. There are rumors that the oldest, most powerful members of this race do develop these abilities, including the ability to communicate via writing, but so far these are unconfirmed (stay tuned for Expanse of Darkness).
To escape being pulled into the body of the creature a victim has four options:
A) Sever the tentacle(s) holding them captive.
B) Pull themselves free of the tentacle(s) holding them captive.
C) Destroy the main body of the Parcel of Darkness.
D) Avoid being pulled into the main body for six combat rounds.
Severing a tentacle – Each tentacle has 10 Hit points. Once a tentacle suffers 5 points of damage it releases whatever it is grasping and withdraws into the creature’s main body. The tentacle won’t re-emerge until it is completely healed, which takes 5 days. A Parcel of Darkness which has all six of its tentacles damaged to more than 5 points won’t manifest until they are all healed. Damage inflicted upon tentacles do not factor into what is required to destroy a Parcel of Darkness (see below).
Pulling oneself free of the tentacle(s) – A victim who wins an opposed roll against a tentacles can choose to pull themselves free of one tentacle. Otherwise they can choose to haul themselves one combat round farther away from the creature, no matter how many tentacles are currently
grapping them. Those pulling themselves free of a tentacle suffer 1D3 points of damage, as the spines of the tentacle remove a layer of the victim’s skin in the process.
Destroying the body of a Parcel of Darkness – The creature’s main body is resistant to all forms of attack with two exceptions, magical weapons and spells. If the creature is damaged for 50% of its hit points it immediately releases any grappled victims and begins to withdraw. However this retreat takes a full combat round to accomplish, leaving it vulnerable for this brief period. If reduced to zero hit points a Parcel of Darkness is destroyed.
Avoid being pulled in for six combat rounds – Parcels of Darkness can only manifest for a short time. They are ambush predators, striking quickly before vanishing. After six combat rounds in our reality they must withdraw back to their own, a process that requires an additional combat
round during which they can take no action. If victim can avoid being pulled into the creature’s body for six combat rounds a Parcel of Darkness ends its attack. Unfortunately unless it is destroyed a Parcel of Darkness can re-manifest in 1D12 hours.
A Parcel of Darkness, Tentacle Guardians of the Void.
Char. Averages rolls
STR 90 (4D6+6 x 5)
CON 140 (8D6+6 x 5)
SIZ 130 (4D6+12 x 5)
DEX 65 (3D6+3 x 5)
INT 35 (2D6 x 5)
POW 50 (3D6 x 5)
HP 27
Av. Damage Bonus: +2D4
Average Build: +3
Average Magic Points: 10
Move 0
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 6
Fighting attacks: In combat Parcels of Darkness grasp victims with their tentacles and draw them into the void of its body where they are unmade and cease to exist.
Fighting 55% (27/11), damage none (if drawn into main body, victims cease to exist)
Dodge 32% (16/6) – tentacles not currently grasping a victim only
Armor: None, but main body immune to all forms of non-magical attack
Sanity Loss: 1/1D8 for Sanity points to see a Parcel of Darkness
